Better Water for All Network Launches First Webinar on PFAS
On 1 December, the Better Water for All Network successfully held its first webinar, bringing together researchers, practitioners, and water-sector professionals for an in-depth discussion on one of today’s most challenging drinking-water contaminants: per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The event featured a keynote presentation from Dr. Zhang Yanyan, Assistant Professor at Westlake University, whose research group focuses on the analysis and degradation mechanisms of emerging contaminants.
PFAS comprise a vast and chemically diverse group of more than 14,000 fluorinated compounds that are widely used in industrial applications and consumer products. Their exceptional stability makes them persistent in the environment, resistant to conventional drinking-water treatment, and capable of accumulating in water distribution systems. As regulatory limits tighten around the world, the need for reliable monitoring tools and effective degradation technologies is becoming increasingly urgent.
Dr. Zhang presented her team’s latest findings on the structure-dependent defluorination mechanisms of PFAS under advanced oxidation and reduction processes. By combining density functional theory with experimental kinetic measurements, her research reveals how subtle differences in PFAS molecular structure dictate their reactivity and degradability.
The event marked an important milestone for the Better Water for All Network, which aims to connect science, policy, and practice to support safer and more sustainable water systems. Video can be found on our Youtube Channel and more webinars and collaborative activities will follow as the network continues to grow.
